Nofence collars trialled on sheep at RSPB Geltsdale

29 April 2024

At the beginning of the Fellfoot Forward Landscape Partnership Scheme, 2020-2024, funding helped RSPB Geltsdale to purchase a Nofence invisible fencing system to help manage cattle grazing at the reserve, read more here.

Following that successful trial, further Fellfoot Forward funding helped RSPB Geltsdale purchase a Nofence system for a trial on a small flock of sheep. From the beginning of February 2024, 22 Herdwick sheep were fitted with collars and set to graze a 26 acre Nofence enclosure within a larger 225 acre parcel of land.

The area is partly dominated by soft rush, which has been topped in order to make it more appealing to ground nesting birds such as lapwings and curlew. The sheep will happily nibble any new rush growth and cover the area with dung, which in turn attracts the invertebrates the birds like to eat.

The Nofence collar emits a warning sound when the animal approaches the virtual boundary. This is usually enough to deter the ewe and make it turn around. If the ewe continues beyond the boundary line, the collar will deliver a small electric shock to the neck. RSPB staff at the reserve were surprised how quickly Herdwicks learn that the sound means turn around.

There were a few initial teething problems, with a couple of the ewes escaping to get back to their lambs in a nearby field. This involved escaping the Nofence and jumping the stone wall – nothing would hold them back. Herdwick sheep are notorious escape artists and certain individuals have a complete disregard for field boundaries. Once the lambs were moved to a field out of sight, very few further escapes were experienced. Recently, the sheep seem to have become accustomed to their Nofence pasture and have stayed within the boundary. It appears to be better than a stone wall.

Over the last seven days of March, the flock of sheep received 447 audio warnings and 62 pulses (less than one pulse per day across the flock). Once the lapwings and curlews start to nest, the sheep will be moved on to another area to leave to the birds undisturbed.